Storage battery



/ Patented May 9, 1922.

i! .vi

If :i l i i I l N. D..STURGES..

STORAGE BATTERY.

APPLICATION FILED ,IAN-5,1192I.

' at Bellerose, in the county NORMAN DEXTER STURGES, OF BELLEROSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSTGNMENTS, TO MULTIPLE STORAGE BATTERY CORPORATION, A CREOM- TION 0F DELAWARE.

STORAGE BATTFRY.

.application tiled Eanuary 5, 1921.

To aZZ 'Lo/wm t may concern.:

Be it known that l, NORMAN BEXTER STUR- ons, a citizen of the United States, residing of Nassau, State certain new and of New York, have invented Batteries;

useful improvementsl in Storage and l do hereby declare` the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art. to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to secondary o-r` storage batteries of the lead-sulphuric acid type, and is directed more particularly to improvements whereby the tendency, which has been heretofore considered unavoidable, of the plates to disintegrate after repeated charging, is overcome and the life of the battery isv greatly prolonged.

During an extended experience, includingrthe carefulstudy of substantially all types of lead-sulphuric acid storage batteries, l have observed that. when the battery is charged, the pasted material on .the plates is more tightly gripped in the supporting grid than wlienthe battery is discharged. ln other words, the pasted material expands and contracts materially during the charging and discharging operation. ln a lwell designed grid, the variation mentioned may be within the elastic limit of the material, so that no fissure between the grid andthe pasted material is formed for a considerable period, during which the battery operates at maximum etliciency. Eventually however, in all types of lead-sulphuric acid batteries, ssures begin to form and reduce the elec-trical contact between the pasted material and the grid.` Under certain conditions, leadsulphate may be deposited in the fissures, accentuating the resistance and acting as a wedge to prevent contact between the pasted oxide and the grid when the battery is fully charged. Whenever fissures commence to form, the deterioration of the battery begins, theactive material falls away, andthe eiiicient life of the battery is not thereafter greatly prolonged.

The phenomenon described has stimulated various attempts to prevent the formation of fissures, but Without materialy successl protected. Because Specification of Letters Patent. Pttmitfgtjl Ella@ QD, 1?;322@

Serial No. 435,059.

been no practicable solution of the problem, and storage battery manufacturers have come to regard deterioration of batteries in the manner described asl an inherent defect which could not be overcome. A

lt. is the object of the invention to provide a method of and means for preventing the formation` of fissuresl between the pasted material and the grid, with the resulting advantage of prolonging the life of the battery.

lFurtherobjects and advantages' of the invent-ion will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following speciiication and accompanying drawing, in which thefpreferred embodiment of the in-' vention is illustrated. 'lt is to be understood, however, that the principles of the invention may be applied in various waysl and that no attempt has been made to illustrate all of the specific applications which will readily` occurto lthose skilled iii the art.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a battery embodying the invention.

mentary plate, illustrating a. different arrangement of the rivets.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through a pair of plates, and

Fig 5 is a. detail in perspective of the rivets.

As the result of extended experimental work, I have learned that the tendency to forni fissures between the pasted material and the grid may be entirely obviated by the continuous application of pressure through suitable agencies, preferably facings, to relatively restricted areas or subdivisions of the active material on the plates. As the plates expand and contract. under charging and gradual thickening, the means employed for applying` pressure thereto must be capable of stretching somewhat and without taking a permanent set. lt must, there-fore, be elastic within certain limits and also unaffected by the sulphuric acid electrolyte. The facings are particularly useful in connection with the positive plates, which are disintegrated most rapidly when .un-

of theextended life and of batteries embodying desirable to protect the a result which.

increased efficiency the invention, it is negative plate from erosion,

I are applied to the-opposite sides of the platesl adapted for the purposes of the invent-ion,

since it has the requisite degree of elasticity and is impervious to the acid. Rubber'and other materials of a similar Character, while not so advantageous, may be substituted and are to be considered within the scope of the invention. ln carrying out the invention, perforated facings, preferably of Celluloid,

and are heldin a suitable manner, so as to constantly apply sufficient pressure over relatively restricted areas or subdivisions to the pasted material, thereby obviating any possibility of the formation of fissures. rlfhe facings may be cemented, riveted or otherwise fastened to the grid, but are preferably secured in a manner analogous to the tufting of a mattress by connecting the opposite facings through the grid. The spacingv of the tufting is such with respect to the stiffness of the perforated Celluloid facings, that the desired pressure is always exerted on the pasted material. As the plate thick ens gradually, the fields between the tuft- 'ing are distended, thus increasing the pressure' on thepaste'd material, and preventing the inception of fissures. The elasticity of the Celluloid permits such distension and the continued application of pressure which isessential to the accomplishment of the desired object. x

The increased life of the battery resulting from the application of the invention, makes it desirable to minimize surface erosion, a factorto which little attention has been paid heretofore, because disintegration ended the effective life of the battery before erosion was noticeable. Consequently, the perforations in the facings are preferably Aas small as gli of an inch angl are spaced about twenty to the linear inch. The facings, when of Celluloid, may be relatively thin and the tufting is preferably rather closely'spaced. The facings prevent disintegration' and batteries constructed as described -have been in use for the purpose 0f testing the invention for a period which would insure the presence of sludge in an ordinary batteryf, but no sludge has appeared. 0n breaking a plate thus tested, the pasted materialhas been found to be still in excellent electrical conta-ct with lthe grid.

electrolyte.

tight-fitting battery jar, or by tight and strong clasping bands, preferably of Celluloid as illustrated and described in Letters Patent N o. 1340636, granted to me on March 30, 1920. If the strength of cell is depended upon to 'provide the necessary resistance when the pack of plates is forced therein to apply pressure to the plates, I prefer to employ a container of Celluloid or rubber, which is elastic enough to ensure against cracking.

rFliese containers may be held singly or in groups in a strong unyielding wooden case in which the containers tight-ly fit.

While the facings may with advantage be applied only to the positive plat-es, the increased life of thel battery, resulting from the application of the-present invention, is such as to Warrant protection of the negative plate l from-erosion, a` factor which is ordinarily of slight importance, because of the early deterioration of the positive plate resulting from the formation of fissures. Preferably, therefore, the negative plate is provided with facings of Celluloid or similar and suitable material. These facings are similar to those previously described, and are secured in the same manner to the plate to apply pressure to relatively restricted areas or subdivisions thereof. The'fastening devices may advantageously serve the purpose of the projections or pegs on the negative plates as previously described, and, by engaging the fields on the positive plates between the tufting, ensure continuous application of pressure thereto. Similarly, the fastening devices on the positive plates may engage the fields between the tufting on the negative plates.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a suitable battery jar adapted to receive a group of positive and negative plates 6 and 7 respectively, and to contain the necessary The jar may be of Celluloid, hard rubber or other suitable material. having the requisite strength and elasticity to with-Stand the pressure exerted by the plates during expansion. The plates need not, however,ventirely fill the battery jar, in which event, bands 8, of Celluloid or other suitable material, may be disposed about the plates to maintain them in assembled relation and to exert the necessary resistance to expansion. These bands may be used even when the plates are intended to substantially fill the battery 'jai'. It will be particularly noted that, owing to the character of the plates and the prevention of scaling and consequent acy cumulation of sludge, it is 'unnecessary to provide ridges in the bottoni of the jar as is customary in storage batteries. 0f Course, such ridges may be provided, as where the plates are niounted in battery jars of the hitherto common type.

The plates comprise grids 9, in which the pasted material is formed in the usual man17 11er. Extending through the pasted matethat, as the plates are assembled, the rivets i circumstances.

the facings. i t

enclosed in envelopes of Celluloid `which,

imams rial at intervals are a'plurality of bushings 11, preferably of celluloid. The opposite faces of the plates are covered by sheets 12 of celluloid, provided with perorations 13, to permit the passage of the electrolyteto the active material. T he acings are held in place by rivets 14, which are disposed through the bushings 11, and held therein by the use of a suitable cement. Such a cement may be a celluloid composition which, when it hardens, joins the rivets and the bushings in a substantially unitary structure. These rivets hold the celluloid acings in close contact with the laces of the plates. The lateral edges of the plate are preferably covered ,by strips of celluloid 15,

rlhus, the plates are entirely however, permit circulation of the electro- Jryte by reason of the perforatio-ns in the lacings. The facings are held in. contact'w1th the faces of the plates in a manner similar 'to tutting, andv a plurality of iields are thus rovided on the faces of the plates, which, when the pasted material expands, results .in the application of pressure and prevents disintegration.

To insure the application of such' pressure, the rivets in the positive and negative plates are staggered or arranged in such a manner engage approximately the centers ot the tufted fields. No other separators are required, and, when the 1plates are assembled in the battery jar or he d by means of celluloid or. other bands, expansion of the active material results in securely holding th facings against the plates, at the Sametime, increasing the number of points at which the pressure is applied.l Thus, Jorexample, i'n

plates having a superiicial area of 25 square' inches at each face, a suiicientnumber of rivets may be employed to insurethe application of pressure to each square inch of the plate surface.

'll he result is the entire elimination of scaling, erosion orother disintegration of the plates during charging and discharging thereof. The active material is held at all times in good electrical contact With the grids, and cannot become loosenedunder any The short circuiting, which frequently results from accumulation of sludge in the battery, is entirelyv obviated and the plates can, under no condition, touch each other and thus cause a short circuit, as in batteries provided withl Wooden separators and unprotected plates.

As will be readily understood, the successi'ul yaccomplishment oi' the object specified, depends upon the application of elastic pressure to the relatively restricted areas or subdivisions of the faces of the positive plates, so that all of the pasted material is subjected continuously to such pressure and is thereby securely cemented to panying claims,

^ exible material rigidly held in close electrical contact with the grid. Obviously the physical embodiments ot' the invention may be variedas well as the materials employed. 1

As a result of this improvement herein described, storage batteries may have an almost unlimited life so far as the disintegrating tendency of normal use is \concerned. rl`he increased life of the battery makes it at once more economical both in the irst cost and in the saving resulting from an extended period during which the battery operates at maximum eilciency.- The necessity for irrequent renewal of batteries has limited their availability for many uses to which `they may be successfully adapted when constructed in accordance with the'present invention and having the advantages of such construction.

'llhe area of the active material referredV to in the claims hereafter is the area included between the outer edge members ci the baty tery grid which comprise the frame thereof.

Various changes may be made in details of arrangement and other essentials of the invention within the scope of the accomwithout sacriicing any of the'I superiority which results from its application.

l claim:

1. A. method of preventing disintegration of the plates of electric storage batteries of the lead-sulphuric acid type, which comprises subjecting the active material on the opposite faces of the plates tov pressure of a flexible non-conducting medium contacting therewith and rigidly connected at a plurality of points through the faces of the plates whereby the effective pressure-is applied to a plurality of relatively restricted areas of the active material.

2. A storage battery element comprising a grid, active material pasted thereon and thin perforated facings of non-conducting connected through the grid at intervals throughout the area ol the active -material and snugly contacting with the pasted material.

3. A storage battery element comprising a grid, active material'pasted thereon, perforated facings 'of non-conducting flexible material applied to opposite sides -o the element, and connectors extending through the element at intervals throughout the area 'of the active material and rigidly securing the fac-ings in snugly contacting relation to the active material.

4. A storage battery element comprising a grid, active material pasted thereon, insulating bushings embedded in the active material, thin perforated facings of nonconducting flexible material Contacting' with the surfaces of the active material, and insulating rivets disposed through the bushings and engaging the perforated facings to rigidly hold the latter in contact with the active material. f

5. A storage battery element comprising a grid, active material pasted thereon. thin perforated facings of non-conducting flexible material rigidly connected through the grid at intervals throughout the area of the element and snugly contacting with the pasted materialfand strips of non-conducting material surrounding the edges only of the grid and permanently attached to the facings.

6. A. storage battery including positive and negative velements having perforated facings of non-conducting flexible material, connectorsl extending through the elements to rigidly secure the facingsin snugly engaging relation to the surfaces thereof, the connectors on the respective elements being adapted to engage the oppositely disposed facings, and means for holding the elements in assembled relation. s

7. A storage battery including positive and negative elements having perforated facings of non-conducting flexible material `assembled elements when the latter are tightly forced therein.

8. A storage battery including positive and negative elements having perforated :t'acings of non-conducting flexible material rigidly connected through the elements and snugly engaging the surfaces thereof., protuberanees on the respective elements engagingthe facings on the oppositely disposed elenients in substantially the centers ot' the fields between the opposing protuberances, and means for holding the elements in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

NORMAN DEXTER STURGES. 

